Electronic target device

ABSTRACT

A electronic target device comprises two dielectric sheets, two conductive layers formed on one surface of the dielectric sheets and defining a plurality of contact regions, a plurality of leading wires located on the other surfaces of the dielectric sheets and penetrate the dielectric sheets to connect the contact regions respectively, and a plurality of dielectric grains distributed over the contact regions. A target housing which the dielectric sheets are installed therein with a target member and the opposite ends of the leading wires connect to a circuit board which set in the housing for the shooting practice and competition. When ammo or pellets hit on the target member, one of the dielectric sheets abutting the target member is pressed to touch the other dielectric sheet for the conductive layers electrical connecting each other and produce a target-hit signal for transmitting to the circuit board registered and shown accumulated score.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for target shooting and score detecting. More particularly, the invention is jointed with two conductive layers for electrical connecting to detect the impacts thereon so as to enhance the sensitivity of the target-hit detection.

2. Description of Related Art

For indoor or outdoor practice and competition, an electronic scoring target is provided for the players shooting. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional electronic scoring target 100 comprises a paper target 110, a frame 120 consisting of a plurality of dividers 121, a bowl 130 with several funnels 131, and several sensors (not shown) located at the bottom of the funnel 131 to detect ammo or pellets drop. When the player shoots the electronic scoring target 100 with an air soft gun, ammo or pellets could penetrate through the paper target 110. Then, ammo or pellets would roll along the dividers 121 and drop into one of the funnels 131. The sensors could register the score depending on which of the funnel 131 it dropped in from.

Therefore, the electronic scoring target 100 could score the target-hit via the sensors detecting where the ammo or pellets drop. However, firstly the ammo or pellets could hit the dividers 121 of the frame 120 and rebound. Furthermore, the sensors couldn't detect the hit on the paper target instantly only until the ammo or pellets drop to the bottom from the funnel 131. Therefore a time lag between the hit and the scoring is unavoidable. The duration of the time lag is depending on where the ammo or pellets hit the paper target 110.

Accordingly, in consideration of the above drawback in practical use of the conventional electronic scoring target 100, the present invention is to provide an electronic target device 1 to resolve the problems in the related art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic target device for target shooting and score detecting which has a compact structure and high-sensitivity.

In order to achieve the goals set forth, an electronic target device in accordance with the present invention comprises two dielectric sheets with conductive layers formed on the surfaces of the dielectric sheets and defining a plurality of contact regions, a plurality of leading wires located on the other side of the dielectric sheets and penetrating the dielectric sheet to connect the contact regions respectively, and a plurality of dielectric grains distributed evenly over the contact regions.

Moreover, in the configuration of this invention, the dielectric grains are placed between the two conductive layers in order to separate the layers from each other in constant and the intervals between the dielectric grains are suitable for the electrical connecting the contact regions of the layers when ammo or pellets hit the target. The leading wires connecting the contact regions would produce a signal for target shooting or score detecting. This invention provides an electronic target device without the use of the divider structure where ammo or pellets would rebound, so as to enhance the sensitivity and accuracy for target-hit detecting and compact structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic scoring target device of the related art;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an electronic scoring target of related art;

FIG. 3 is a plane view of one of the dielectric sheets in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic target device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an electronic target device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an electronic target device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modified embodiment in accordance with an electronic target device of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a varied embodiment in accordance with an electronic target device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, an electronic target device of the present invention comprises two dielectric sheets 1, two conductive layers 2, a plurality of leading wires 23, and a plurality of dielectric grains 3.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment which is one of the dielectric sheets 1. The conductive layers 2 are formed on one surface of the dielectric sheets 1 and define a plurality of contact regions 21. The conductive layers 2 are made of conductive material and formed on the dielectric sheets 1 by printing, painting, or coating. The contact regions 21 define several concentric circular patterns and several gaps 22 between the contact regions 21 like target rings. The dielectric grains 3 which are made of a dielectric material are distributed over the contact regions 21 by printing, painting, or coating. Each of the dielectric grains 3 has a diameter much smaller than that of ammo or pellet. The thickness of the grains 3 and the intervals between the grains 3 are calculated to pick up the impact with the slightest hit.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional of this embodiment, shows the leading wires 23 located on the other surfaces of the dielectric sheets 1 and with one end of the leading wires 23 penetrating the dielectric sheets 1 to connect the contact regions 21 respectively. Preferably, the leading wires 23 are integrally formed with the conductive layers 2 and extended from the contact regions 21 respectively.

In this embodiment, the one of dielectric sheets 1 is placed over the other sheet 1 and the one conductive layer 2 is corresponding to the other conductive layer 2. The conductive layers 2 are insulated from each other by the dielectric grains 3 in between.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the dielectric sheets 1 include a first sheet 1 a and a second sheet 1 b and this invention further includes a target housing 4, a target layer 5 and a circuit board (not shown). The target layer 5 is a flexible plate which is printed a pattern corresponding to the contact regions 21 of the conductive layers 2. The conductive layer 2 formed on the first sheet 1 a is a positive electrode, and the conductive layer 2 formed on the second sheet 1 b is a negative electrode. The first sheet 1 a, the second sheet 1 b, the target layer 5, and the circuit board are installed in the target housing 4.The opposite ends of the leading wires 23 are jointed each other to electrical connecting the circuit board. The first sheet 1 a and the second sheet 1 b are placed behind the target layer 5.

In this embodiment, when ammo or pellets hit on the target layer 5, the target layer 5 is pressed against the first sheet 1 a to touch the second sheet 1 b, and then both contact regions 21 will meet and form the circuitry loop. The leading wires 23 connecting the contact regions 21 would generate a target-hit signal to the circuit board. The circuit board receives the signals and shows them on a score board.

In a modified embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of dielectric barriers 31 are formed in the gaps 22 between the contact regions 21 by printing, painting, or coating. The dielectric barriers 32 have a thickness larger than that of the conductive layers 2 in order to separate the two layers 2 from each other with the dielectric grains 3.

In a varied embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9, one of the dielectric sheets 1, e.g. the second sheet 1 b which formed the conductive layer 2 thereon, wherein the conductive layer 2 defines only one contact region 21 a.

Consequently, the electronic target device according to the present invention has some advantageous as follows:

-   -   1. The present invention making use of the conductive layers 2         for electrical connecting to detecting the target shooting or         score by ammo or pellets has a high sensitivity. Further         connecting to the circuit board 5, the present invention could         register and show score instantly without a time lag when ammo         or pellets hit.     -   2. The present invention has a high accuracy because the         dielectric grains or barriers would replace the dividers of         related art to avoid ammo or pellets rebounding and missing the         detection.     -   3. In the above configuration, the dielectric sheets 1 installed         with the target member 5 in the target housing 4 make a compact         structure and easy to produce.     -   4. The contact regions 21 of the conductive layers 2 and the         pattern of the target member 5 could be formed any complex         figure like concentric ring, dartboard pattern, animal, or man.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. An electronic target device comprising: two dielectric sheets; two conductive layers formed on one surfaces of the dielectric sheets, the conductive layers defining a plurality of contact regions, and a plurality of gaps between the contact regions; a plurality of leading wires located on other surface of the dielectric sheets and one ends of the leading wires penetrating the dielectric sheets to connect the contact regions respectively; a plurality of dielectric grains distributed evenly over the contact areas; and wherein one of the dielectric sheets is placed on the other sheet, one conductive layer is corresponding to the other layer, the dielectric grains are placed between the two conductive layers in order to separate the two conductive layer from each other, and opposite ends of the leading wires are jointed each other for electrical connecting.
 2. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the conductive layers is formed on the surface of the one dielectric layer has one contact region.
 3. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leading wires are integrally formed with the conductive layers and extended from the contact regions respectively.
 4. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a circuit board for opposite ends of the leading wires are connected to the circuit board for electrical connection.
 5. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the dielectric grains has a diameter smaller than that of ammo or pellet.
 6. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the grains and the intervals between the grains are calculated to pick up the impact with the hit.
 7. The electronic target device as claimed in claim 1 includes a plurality of dielectric barriers are formed in the gaps between the contact regions and the dielectric barriers have a thickness larger than that of the conductive layers. 